http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/blindness_blog.html
REALLY???? im just curious how they even saw the movie......
REALLY???? im just curious how they even saw the movie......
Americans For The Blind Are Outraged over A new movie....
- Thread starter BiG H3rB Tr3E
- Start date
for those who dont like links
Hollywood has trouble with portraying disabilities. Even when they try to do the right thing, they still manage to tick people off. That was the case for this summer's blockbuster comedy Tropic Thunder and it's happening again with this week's release Blindness.
In "Tropic Thunder," Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.) tells fellow actor Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) to "never go full retard." The scene is hilarious, satirizing Hollywood stars' tendency to play disabled in pursuit of Oscar gold. Think Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump" and Sean Penn in "I Am Sam." The film's satire, however wasn't appreciated by disability advocates who slammed the use of the R-word as "offensive and demeaning...it fuels social stigma against vulnerable people."
Fast forward a couple months and a similar controversy is playing out with Miramax's latest release. "Blindness," based on a book by Nobel Prize-winning author Jose Saramago and directed by Academy Award nominee Fernando Meirelles, depicts a city in the thrall of a virus that suddenly robs its citizens of their sight. Soon society collapses and stricken descend into a brutal Hobbesian new order. When the book came out, it was praised for its use of blindness as a metaphor. But as the movie is about to be released, it has been lambasted by Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind.
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"The National Federation of the Blind condemns and deplores this film, which will do substantial harm to the blind of America and the world. Blind people in this film are portrayed as incompetent, filthy, vicious, and depraved. They are unable to do even the simplest things like dressing, bathing, and finding the bathroom. The truth is that blind people regularly do all of the same things that sighted people do."
Read the full statement >>
Miramax responded, "We are saddened to learn that the National Federation of the Blind plans to protest the film 'Blindness,'" and that director Meirelles "worked diligently to preserve the intent and resonance of the acclaimed book."
So, is the NFB justified in its criticism of the movie or are they missing the point? You can watch the first five minutes of the film below to decide for yourself.
Hollywood has trouble with portraying disabilities. Even when they try to do the right thing, they still manage to tick people off. That was the case for this summer's blockbuster comedy Tropic Thunder and it's happening again with this week's release Blindness.
In "Tropic Thunder," Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.) tells fellow actor Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller) to "never go full retard." The scene is hilarious, satirizing Hollywood stars' tendency to play disabled in pursuit of Oscar gold. Think Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump" and Sean Penn in "I Am Sam." The film's satire, however wasn't appreciated by disability advocates who slammed the use of the R-word as "offensive and demeaning...it fuels social stigma against vulnerable people."
Fast forward a couple months and a similar controversy is playing out with Miramax's latest release. "Blindness," based on a book by Nobel Prize-winning author Jose Saramago and directed by Academy Award nominee Fernando Meirelles, depicts a city in the thrall of a virus that suddenly robs its citizens of their sight. Soon society collapses and stricken descend into a brutal Hobbesian new order. When the book came out, it was praised for its use of blindness as a metaphor. But as the movie is about to be released, it has been lambasted by Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind.
*
"The National Federation of the Blind condemns and deplores this film, which will do substantial harm to the blind of America and the world. Blind people in this film are portrayed as incompetent, filthy, vicious, and depraved. They are unable to do even the simplest things like dressing, bathing, and finding the bathroom. The truth is that blind people regularly do all of the same things that sighted people do."
Read the full statement >>
Miramax responded, "We are saddened to learn that the National Federation of the Blind plans to protest the film 'Blindness,'" and that director Meirelles "worked diligently to preserve the intent and resonance of the acclaimed book."
So, is the NFB justified in its criticism of the movie or are they missing the point? You can watch the first five minutes of the film below to decide for yourself.
Sure blind people can do just about anything, but they've learned. If mass numbers of people that had been seeing their entire life suddenly went blind obviously there would be chaos. Shouldn't the blind know better than anyone that it would take time to figure out how to cope with losing a sense?
okwildfire
Active member
good point...but im pretty sure the one that are really "mad" are people that can see just fine...just like when a few years back..they tried to get the"TOMAHAWK CHOP" banned at the Braves game's? do you remember that? well..it wasnt indians's that was trying to get it banned...IT was the left wing knee jerk..need a victim lib's...LOL the indians told them to go FUCK them selve's..they love the "CHOP"!!!!!bounty29 said:
the well being of the blind is subject to the well wishes of public in regard to their welfare...
any of you back pedalers going to roll over for showing the jews or the negro slaves as a girl sucking a policemens dick to prevent a families abduction for a day???
certainly a TRUE representation of their 'types' plight in regard to history...
anything that will help drive public shoulder of its responsibility for recompense for the past attrocity of indiference when the law wasnt evenly applied???
any of you back pedalers going to roll over for showing the jews or the negro slaves as a girl sucking a policemens dick to prevent a families abduction for a day???
certainly a TRUE representation of their 'types' plight in regard to history...
anything that will help drive public shoulder of its responsibility for recompense for the past attrocity of indiference when the law wasnt evenly applied???
K
kenned
People are just so uptight these days...
Relax a bit.. Nobody is allowed to make fun of things anymore...
Relax a bit.. Nobody is allowed to make fun of things anymore...
i cant wait to see this movie. i agree with kenned why cant people take a joke anymore. its like you get sued for stupid shit. man it pisses me off.
Homegrown101
Member
I saw it a couple days ago..excellent movie. Meirelles is a great director, check out CITY OF GOD if you like his work.
JohnnyATL said:
WTF!! the R-word??!!!
what has our society come to!? man theres always some ass hole thats gotta ruin it for the rest of us.
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back in the '80s Damon Wayans did a character called 'Handiman' in his skits, he portrayed a handicapped superhero....... I LOVED IT! .......the network got blasted by critics.
He later did the movie & played the role of Blankman a nerd who becomes a superhero, nerds NOT being a 'protected class' and also having a sense of humor didn't object worldwide.......
EDIT: btw, if you're stuck babysitting for the neice or nephew sometime rent the movie 'Blankman', get blazed as all hell & watch the flick with them, if you haven't seen this gem yet you'll be glad you did now.
Blankmans kissing scenes will NOT be forgotten.......
He later did the movie & played the role of Blankman a nerd who becomes a superhero, nerds NOT being a 'protected class' and also having a sense of humor didn't object worldwide.......
EDIT: btw, if you're stuck babysitting for the neice or nephew sometime rent the movie 'Blankman', get blazed as all hell & watch the flick with them, if you haven't seen this gem yet you'll be glad you did now.
Blankmans kissing scenes will NOT be forgotten.......
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E
EatShitake
kenned said:
I concur. If people were as focused on bettering themselves and their immediate surroundings as they are focused on being super-ultra-hypersensitive, my world would be a better place. I'd guess their's would be, too.
In the spirit of war on things intangible, I declare war on the offended!
PeaZ!
S
Space Ghost
i guess we will have to use the more sensitive words re-re or tardo....?
Dr. Buzz
Member
My .02
I haven't seen the movie myself, so take this with a grain of salt. I think what the real problem as far as blind people are concerned is that in society when you are handicapped you are not only challenged with the disabillity that you have, you also have the displeasure of dealing with a competitive society that sees you as less than human. How hard do you think it is to get a carreer in a competitive market when having to deal with pregidice? Or even getting laid?
Now I think that the Federation for the Blind is going overboard with this, after all this political correctness crap has turned us into a world where free speach is slowly turring into a myth because of thought crimes. This needs to stop.
Again just my .02
I haven't seen the movie myself, so take this with a grain of salt. I think what the real problem as far as blind people are concerned is that in society when you are handicapped you are not only challenged with the disabillity that you have, you also have the displeasure of dealing with a competitive society that sees you as less than human. How hard do you think it is to get a carreer in a competitive market when having to deal with pregidice? Or even getting laid?
Now I think that the Federation for the Blind is going overboard with this, after all this political correctness crap has turned us into a world where free speach is slowly turring into a myth because of thought crimes. This needs to stop.
Again just my .02
E
EatShitake
Space Ghost said:
Surely you jest! How do you spell that noise they make? NUHHRRR!
In the animal kingdom if a baby comes out fucked up its kicked out the nest and left ta dead. this helps move along evolution by survival of the fittest. Humans are slowing there evolutionary process down by pampering and breeding the week.
Sad but true. (This comment in no way reflex my views on re...er...crazy people or blind people. I love um all the same.)
Sad but true. (This comment in no way reflex my views on re...er...crazy people or blind people. I love um all the same.)
It's too bad they can't see my raised middle finger...
I cant SEE why "Americans for the Blind" are outraged over this film. I believe their unable to SEE the true message within the movie. Some people are so BLINDED by political correctness that they spend their entire lives in the DARK.
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i like hearing the singer tom sullivan talk about the craziness he used to get into ... anybody rember him? blind from shortly after birth ... played baseball, skiied, wrestled ... gettin into all sorts of shit, smuggling girls into the dorm at the blind school, partying ... been on tv, sang the national anthem at the superbowl ... very cool
